Changes between Version 62 and Version 63 of ProjectManagementIdeas

Timestamp:

May 8, 2009, 4:50:54 PM (15 years ago)

Author:

Greg Troxel

Comment:

add a bit of earned value flavor

ProjectManagementIdeas

@@ -33 +33 @@
 Answering the questions listed above requires recording certain properties of a task.
 
- Work:: The amount of work needed to complete the task.  This is ''not'', necessarily, the time it will take to complete the task (duration).  The task may be unassigned (and will take forever to complete), may have a resource assigned only part-time (so it will take longer to complete than the amount of work indicates), or have multiple resources assigned (so it may take less time to complete than the amount of work indicates).
+ Original Work Estimate:: The amount of work believed to be needed to complete the task as of before the task was started.  This is ''not'', necessarily, the time it will take to complete the task (duration).  The task may be unassigned (and will take forever to complete), may have a resource assigned only part-time (so it will take longer to complete than the amount of work indicates), or have multiple resources assigned (so it may take less time to complete than the amount of work indicates).  Typically work will be expressed in hours of effort of a resource.
+
+ Current Work Estimate: The total time the task is expected to take, as of now.  Like Original Work Estimate, but may be modified.
+
+ Expended effort: The amount of work expended against this task so far.
 
  Assigned resources:: The individuals who will work  on this task.
 
- % Effort:: The amount of the resource's time that will be spent on this task.  If the resource is working on a 2-day task 50% of the time, we expect it to take 4 days.
-
- % Complete:: The amount of the task that has been done already.
+ % Effort:: Per resource, the amount of the resource's time that will be spent on this task.  If the resource is working on a 2-day task 50% of the time, we expect it to take 4 days.
+
+ % Complete:: The amount of the task that has been done already.   If there are 10 subtasks with 10 hours original work estimate and 6 are done, the task is 60% complete.
 
  Dependencies:: Other tasks that affect when this task can be started or finished.
+
+ Task Hierarchy:: A "Work Breakdown Structure" is often used to give a hierarchical organization of all tasks on a project.  Task 1.1.2 would have subtask 1.1.2.1 and 1.1.2.2.  We propose to express the hierarchy but not force explicit numbering. We propose that each task have a single parent, which is the next level up in a WBS.
 
 ==== Dependencies ====